cliges-第14节

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tablecloths　laid；　but　she　delays　the　supper。　It　is　Thessala's
task　to　spy　out　by　what　device；　by　what　messenger；　she　will　send
her　potion。　They　were　all　seated　at　the　banquet；　they　had　had
more　than　six　courses　and　Cliges　was　serving　his　uncle。　Thessala；
who　sees　him　serve；　reflects　that　he　is　wasting　his　Service；　for
he　is　serving　to　his　own　disinheritance；　and　this　is　a　great
sorrow　and　anxiety　to　her。　Then　like　the　courteous　dame　that　she
is；　she　bethinks　herself　that　she　will　make　him　to　whom　it　will
be　joy　and　profit　serve　the　potion。　Thessala　sends　for　Cliges；
and　he　went　straightway　to　her；　and　has　inquired；　and　asked　of
her　why　she　had　sent　for　him。　〃Friend；〃　quoth　she；　〃at　this
banquet　I　wish　to　pay　the　emperor　the　flattering　meed　of　a　potion
that　he　will　greatly　esteem。　I　will　not　that　he　drink　to…night；
either　at　supper　or　at　bedtime；　of　any　other　drink。　I　think　that
it　will　give　him　much　pleasure；　for　never　did　he　taste　of　aught
so　good　nor　did　any　beverage　ever　cost　so　much；　and　take　good
careI　warn　you　of　thisthat　no　other　drink　of　it　because　there
is　too　little　of　it　for　that。　And；　moreover；　I　give　you　this
advice；　that　he　never　know　whence　it　came；　but　let　him　think　it
came　by　accident；　that　you　found　it　among　the　presents；　and　that
because　you　tested　it；　and　perceived　by　the　scent　of　its　bouquet
the　fragrance　of　good　spices；　and　because　you　saw　that　it
sparkled；　you　poured　the　wine　into　his　cup。　If　by　chance　he
inquire　of　it；　that　will　doubtless　be　the　end　of　the　matter。　But
have　no　evil　suspicion　anent　aught　that　I　have　said；　for　the
beverage　is　pure　and　wholesome；　and　full　of　good　spices；　and　it
may　be；　as　I　think；　that　at　some　future　time　it　will　make　you
blithe。〃　When　he　hears　that　good　will　come　of　it　he　takes　the
potion　and　goes　away；　for　he　knows　not　that　there　is　aught　wrong。
In　a　cup　of　crystal　he　has　set　it　before　the　emperor。　The　emperor
has　taken　the　cup；　for　he　has　great　trust　in　his　nephew。　He
drinks　a　mighty　draught　of　the　potion；　and　now　he　feels　the
virtue　of　it；　for　it　penetrates　from　the　head　to　the　heart；　and
from　the　heart　it　returns　to　his　head；　and　it　permeates　him　again
and　again。　It　saturates　his　whole　body　without　hurting　him。　And
by　the　time　the　tables　were　removed；　the　emperor　had　drunk　so
much　of　the　beverage　which　had　pleased　him；　that　never　will　he
get　free　of　it。　Each　night　while　asleep　he　will　be　intoxicated；
and　yet　it　will　excite　him　so　much　that　though　asleep；　he　will
dream　that　he　is　awake。

Now　is　the　emperor　mocked。　Many　bishops　and　abbots　there　were　at
the　benediction　and　consecration　of　the　bed。　When　it　was　bedtime
the　emperor；　as　it　behoved　him；　lay　with　his　wife　that　night。　〃As
it　behoved　him〃therein　have　I　lied；　for　he　never　embraced　or
touched　her　though　they　lay　together　in　one　bed。　At　first　the
maiden　trembles；　for　greatly　does　she　fear　and　feel　alarm　lest
the　potion　take　no　effect。　But　it　has　so　bewitched　him　that　never
will　he　have　his　will　of　her　or　of　another　save　when　asleep。　But
then　he　will　have　such　ecstasy　as　one　can　have　in　dreaming；　and
yet　he　will　hold　the　dream　for　true。　In　one　word　I　have　told　you
all：　never　had　he　other　delight　of　her　than　in　dreams。　Thus　must
he　needs　fare　evermore　if　he　can　lead　his　bride　away；　but　before
he　can　hold　her　in　safety　a　great　disaster；　I　ween；　may　befall
him。　For　when　he　will　return　home；　the　duke；　to　whom　she　was
first　given；　will　be　no　laggard。　The　duke　has　gathered　a　great
force；　and　has　occupied　all　the　marches；　and　his　spies　are　at　the
court；　and　inform　him　each　day　of　all　he　wants　to　know；　and　tell
him　all　the　measures　he　must　take；　and　how　long　they　will　tarry；
and　when　they　will　return；　through　what　places；　and　by　what
passes。　The　emperor　did　not　long　tarry　after　the　wedding。
Blithely　he　departs　from　Cologne；　and　the　emperor　of　Germany
escorts　him　with　a　very　great　company　because　he　greatly　fears
and　dreads　the　might　of　the　Duke　of　Saxony。

The　two　emperors　proceed　and　stop　not　till　they　reach　Ratisbon；
and　on　one　evening　they　were　lodged　by　the　Danube　in　the　meadow。
The　Greeks　were　in　their　tents　in　the　meadows　beside　the　Black
Forest。　The　Saxons　who　were　observing　them　were　encamped　opposite
them。　The　duke's　nephew　was　left　all　alone　on　a　hill　to　keep　a
look…out；　and　see　whether；　peradventure；　he　might　gain　any
advantage　over　those　yonder　or　wreak　any　mischief　upon　them。
》From　his　post　of　vantage　he　saw　Cliges　riding　with　three　other
striplings　who　were　taking　their　pleasure；　carrying　lances　and
shields　in　order　to　tilt　and　to　disport　themselves。　Now　is　the
duke's　nephew　bent　on　attacking　and　injuring　them　if　ever　he　can。
With　five　comrades　he　sets　out；　and　the　six　have　posted
themselves　secretly　beside　the　wood　in　a　valley；　so　that　the
Greeks　never　saw　them　till　they　issued　from　the　valley；　and　till
the　duke's　nephew　rushes　upon　Cliges　and　strikes　him；　so　that　he
wounds　him　a　little　in　the　region　of　the　spine。　Cliges　stoops　and
bows　his　head；　so　that　the　lance　glances　off　him；　nevertheless；
it　wounds　him　a　little。

When　Cliges　perceives　that　he　is　wounded　he　has　rushed　upon　the
stripling；　and　strikes　him　straightway　with　such　violence　that　he
thrusts　his　lance　right　through　his　heart　and　fells　him　dead。
Then　the　Saxons；　who　fear　him　mightily；　all　take　to　flight　and
scatter　through　the　heart　of　the　forest　while　Cliges；　who　knows
not　of　the　ambush；　commits　a　reckless　and　foolish　act；　for　he
separates　himself　from　his　comrades；　and　pursues　in　that
direction　in　which　the　duke's　force　was。　And　now　all　the　host
were　preparing　to　make　an　attack　on　the　Greeks。　Cliges；　all
alone；　without　aid；　pursues　them；　and　the　youths　all　dismayed
because　of　their　lord　whom　they　have　lost；　come　running　into　the
duke's　presence；　and；　weeping；　recount　to　him　the　evil　hap　of　his
nephew。　The　duke　thinks　it　no　light　matter；　by　God　and　all　his
saints；　he　swears　that　never　in　all　his　life　will　he　have　joy　or
good　luck　as　long　as　he　shall　know　that　the　slayer　of　his　nephew
is　alive。　He　says　that　he　who　will　bring　him　Cliges'　head　shall
verily　be　deemed　his　friend；　and　will　give　him　great　comfort。
Then　a　knight　has　boasted　that　the　head　of　Cliges　will　be　offered
to　the　duke　by　him；　let　the　duke　but　rely　on　him。

Cliges　pursues　the　youths　till　he　swooped　down　on　the　Saxons；　and
is　seen　by　the　knight　who　has　engaged　to　carry　off　his　head。
Straightway；　that　knight　departs　and　stays　no　longer。　But　Cliges
has　retreated　in　order　to　elude　his　enemies；　and　he　returned　at
full　gallop　thither　where　he　had　left　his　comrades。　But　he　has
found　none　of　them　there；　for　they　had　returned　to　the　tents　to
relate　their　adventure。　And　the　emperor　summoned　Greeks　and
Germans　alike　to　horse。　Through　all　the　host　the　barons　speedily
arm　themselves　and　mount。　But　the　Saxon　knight；　all　armed；　his
visor　laced；　has　continued　to　pursue　Cliges　at　a　gallop。　Cliges；
who　never　wished　to　have　aught　in　common　with　a　recreant　or
coward；　sees　him　come　alone。　First　of　all　the　knight　has　assailed
him　with　words：　he　stoutly　calls　him　baseborn　fellow；　for　he
could　not　conceal　the　mind　he　had　of　him。　〃Fellow；〃　quoth　he；
〃here　wilt　thou　leave　the　forfeit　for　my　lord；　whom　thou　hast
slain。　If　I　bear　not　off　thy　head　with　me；　then　esteem　me　not
worth　a　bad　Byzantine　coin。　I　will　to　make　the　duke　a　present　of
it；　for　I　will　not　accept　any　other　forfeit　in　its　stead。　So　much
will　I　render　to　him　for　his　nephew；　and　he　will　have　had　a　good
exchange　for　him。〃　Cliges　hears　that　the　Saxon　is　abusing　him　as
a　madman　and　low…bred　fellow。　〃Man；〃　quoth　he；　〃now　defend
yourself；　for　I　defy　you　to　take　my　head；　and　you　shall　not　have
it　without　my　leave。〃　Forthwith　the　one　seeks　the　other。　The
Saxon　has　missed　his　stroke；　and　Cliges　thrusts　so　hard　that　he
made　man　and　steed　fall　all　in　a　heap。　The　steed　falls　backwards
on　his　rider　with　such　violence　that　it　completely　breaks　one　of
his　legs。　Cliges　dismounts　on　the　green　grass　and　disarms　him。
When　he　had　disarmed　him；　then　he　dons　the　arms　himself；　and　has
cut　off　his　head　with　the　victim's　own　sword。　When　he　had　cut　off
his　head；　he　has　fixed　it　on　to　the　point　of　his　lance；　and　says
that　he　will　present　it　to　the　duke　to　whom　his　enemy　had　vowed
to　present　Cliges'　own　head　if　he　could　meet　him　in　the　fight。　No
sooner　had　Cliges　placed　the　helmet　on　his　head；　taken　the　shield
；　（not　his　own；　but　the　shield　of　him　who　had　fought　with　him）；
and　no　sooner　had　he　mounted　on　the　foeman's　horse；　leaving　his
own　rider…less　in　order　to　dismay　the　Greeks；　than　he　saw　more
than　a　hundred　banners　and　battalions；　great　and　fully　equipped；
of　Greeks　and　Germans　mingled。　Now　will　begin　a　very　fierce　and
cruel　melee　between　the　Saxons　and　the　Greeks。　As　soon　as　Cliges
sees　them　come；　he　goes　straight　towards　the　Saxons；　and　the
Greeks　exert　themselves　to　pursue　him；　for　on　account　of　his　arms
they　do　not　know　him；　and　his　uncle；　who　sees　the　head　that　he　is
bringing；　is　marvellously　discomforted　thereat。　No　wonder　is　it
if　he　fears　for　his　nephew。　The　whole　host　musters　in　his　wake；
and　Cliges　lets　them　pursue　him　in　order　to　begin　the　melee　till
the　Saxons　perceive　him　coming；　but　the　arms　with　which　he　is
clad　and　f